Jimmy’s Vendetta

There’s a right way and a wrong way to discourage used game sales. Most of the time, publishers do it by offering consumers a little something extra with a new game purchase. EA enticed gamers to buy a new Dante’s Inferno with free downloadable level. That was a good value though it did take a little longer than expected to hit the PSN. On the other hand, EA Sports’ move to block Madden NFL 11 online play via downloadable code seemed like a complete money grab. Players essentially have to buy a new game if they want to play online when in the past it was included at no extra charge.

When it comes to Mafia II, 2K Games seems to be on the good side of the DLC equation. “The Betrayal of Jimmy” DLC is exclusive for the PlayStation 3 and it offers hours of content that could steer some owners toward Sony’s system. That’s because the DLC is free as long as fans buy the game new. For those who get it secondhand with an already used code, it costs $9.99 to pick up.

So what does “The Betrayal of Jimmy” entail? Well, first off, players take on the role of the titular hitman. The episode takes place midstory and stands alone in the timeline. The only thing that it shares in common with the main campaign is the Empire City setting. The focus and the mission design are geared toward fast, arcade-style challenges.